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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 








































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WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR 

Drawn from an engraved portrait in the British Museum 























































































































SUBSCRIPTION EDITION, LIMITED TO 
ONE HUNDRED COPIES. 

NO. LQ.Q* 



ELEVEN CENTURIES OF 
THE REMOTE ANCESTRY 

OF THE ROCKWELL FAMILY 

6 / 0 

BY 

DONALD SHUMWAY ROCKWELL 


“A people which takes no pride in tke noble 
ackievements of remote ancestors will never 
achieve anything worthy to be remembered 
with pride by remote descendants.” 

Lord Macaulay. 


BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, U. S. A. 
THE GILLICK PUBLISHING CO. 


9 


4 


rR ^ 3 

ivi 


COPYRIGHT, 1914 
BY 

DONALD SHUMWAY ROCKWELL 


ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 



THE GILLICK PRESS 

ft / v '" 0 

m -2 1915 



TO 

LADY PETERSEN, NEE ADA BELL TROWBRIDGE, 
IN RECOGNITION OF HER SERVICES IN 
GATHERING THE INFORMATION 
CONTAINED IN THIS LITTLE VOLUME, 

AT THE EXPENSE OF MUCH TIME AND EFFORT 
BOTH IN THIS COUNTRY AND ABROAD, 
THIS BOOK IS LOVINGLY DEDICATED 
BY 

DONALD SHUMWAY ROCKWELL, 

WHO 

HAS HEREIN EDITED HER MANUSCRIPTS. 


























FOREWORD 

t^j 

With die feeling diat out of die diousands 
of names found in most genealogies, onl$ diose 
few connected witk kis or ker own particular 
branck of ancestry are of an$ interest to eack 
member of tke family, tke editor kas purposely 
departed from tke ordinary) type of family tree 
in preparing tkis book for publication. 

As stated in an announcement prior to 
publication, tkis book is not a directory) of tke 
names and addresses of tkousands of Rockwells 
all over tke world, but ratker a unique and 
invaluable record of die earl>) and illustrious 
ancestry) of die family, wkick tke editor feels 
sure will be of far greater interest to all die 
Rockwells tkan an}) dry> recital of die names 
and relationskips of living members of die 
family and deceased members of tke past fe\tf 
generations. *Tke following pages kave been 
revised from tke manuscripts left in tke editor’s 
kands b}) tke late Lad}) Petersen, wko collected 
tkis data in several countries of Europe, wkere 
ker long, patient searck of arckives and records 
made tke task botk laborious and expensive. 
As a result of ker labors, die Rockwell family 















ANCESTRY OF THE ROCKWELL FAMILY 


comes into posession of a priceless heritage, a 
nolole lineage of the royal Wood of England 
and France, brave heroes of man)) a hard-won 
battle v?hich more than once turned the tide 
of history). OThe entire Rockwell family are 
deeply indebted to Lad)? Petersen for the great 
service she has rendered them in tracing this 
remote ancestn?. 

B>> arranging {he genealogy? in the manner 
he has adopted, {he editor has been able to 
make of it a neat and attractive book, free 
from the cumbersome list of names and 
awkward size which make the usual family 
history unwelcome to man)? people. Blank 
pages are supplied at the end of {he book 
where each person ma)? fill in the last few 
generations of his immediate ancestn? and 
complete {he lineal descent of his own particular 
branch of the famil)?, avoiding in this wa)? the 
inconvenience of handling a mass of uninterest¬ 
ing names. 


D. 5. R. 













BRIEF SKETCH OF LADY PETERSEN 

c§b 

Lady Petersen, whose name before her 
marriage was Ada Bell Trowbridge, was born 
at Decatur, Illinois, August io, 1853. Her 
father was Dr. Silas Thompson Trowbridge, 
Surgeon-in-Ckief of tke 3rd Division, 17th 
Army Corps, and later appointed United 
States Consul at Vera Cruz, Mexico, b$ Presi¬ 
dent U. S. Grant, in wkick capacity ke served 
for thirteen $ears. Her mother was Emeline 
Rockwell, wko Was born in Skarontown, Okio, 
February, 5, 1831, and because ker mother Was 
a Rockwell, ske became interested in die 
history of die family. 

She was married in Decatur bj} die 
Reverend D. P. Bunn, on May 4, 1873, 
to Frederick Meriden Petersen, wko was 
born in Hamburg, Germany, on August 
2 i, 1844. Mr. Petersen was for a number of 
years Swedish and Norwegian Consul at Vera 
Cruz, Mexico, and was afterward Swedish 
and Norwegian Consul General to die 
Republic of Mexico. He had conferred upon 
him die honor of Knighthood and die title of 
Chevalier of die Royal Order of Vasa, and 










ANCESTRY OF THE ROCKWELL FAMILY 


^as decorated with the Gold Cross and 
Ribhon of {hat order, which v?as accompanied 
by Letters Patent from the King and portraits 
of {he King and Queen, all sent out to him 
at Vera Cruz, Mexico, for “distinguished and 
meritorious diplomatic services’’, by the Swed¬ 
ish man-of-war Balder, commanded by 
Captain Ulner, who is now Admiral in the 
Swedish Navy. 

In {he summer of 1877 Lady Petersen 
•Oisited several countries of Europe in com- 
pan;9 wi{h her husband, and ^hile taking 
this trip spent a good portion of her time in 
collecting the information she desired in 
regard to the early ancestry of the Rockwell 
family, searching in obscure records for the 
connecting links of {he lineage. 

Aft er the death of her husband, which 
occurred on July 28, 1899, Lady Petersen spent 
a great part of her later life at Torreon and 
Saltillo, Mexico, where she was often in {he 
midst of stirring scenes in the Various 
revolutions. Tv?ice she and her relatives had 
to flee for their ln)es to El Paso, Texas, and 
finally, v?hen Torreon was beseiged in October, 
1913, the whole family left for Berkeley, Cali¬ 
fornia. diirty-one da$s vtere required to make 
the trip out of Mexico, which ordinarily took 
only sixteen hours. Bridges had to be built 



* 



ANCESTRY OF THE ROCKWELL FAMILY 


across streams, roadbeds repaired, rails straight¬ 
ened and track laid before the train bearing 
die American fugitives could complete its long 
journey. The part? suffered untold privations. 
Hunger, Hardships and exposure, as a result of 
v?hich Lady Petersen died on the fifth day of 
December, 1913, trio weeks after reaching 
Berkeley. 











INTRODUCTION 


diere is a pretty) suburb of {be French 
city) of Caen, in Normandy, called St. Julien, 
the territory) of v?hich v?as originally depend¬ 
ent on the fief of Monsenay, and belonged 
to Bertrand de Rocheville, who had feudal 
rights and powers like die Norman knights 
of England. From the de Rochevilles sprang 
die family of Rockwell, hence the name of 
Rockwell is of Norman origin. 

die first of die name in England was 
Sir Ralph de Rocheville, one of the knights 
who accompanied the Empress Maude 
(Matilda of England) into England when she 
claimed the throne of diat realm. Sir Ralph 
ultimately joined Henry II of England, and 
had a grant of diree Knight’s Fees of land in 
die County of York, upon which estate the 
Rockwells have continued to the present day, 
James Rockwell, Esq., of Rockwell Hall, 
Boroughbridge, County of York, being the 
representative of the family in England. 

die last great act of the family which 
is recorded in English history is the rescuing 


ANCESTRY OF THE ROCKWELL FAMILY 


of {he Earl of Northumberland and Lord 
Percy, the celebrated Hotspur, from the part? 
of the Earl Douglas, at {he battle of Halidon 
Hill, in {he reign of King Henry IV, b$ Sir 
John Rockwell. 

<The Rockwells were ver? closely related 
to the Drakes, and made several voyages 
of discovery to America wi{h {hem. 

Early in the history of the Colonies the 
Rockwells settled in New England, especially 
in New York and Connecticut, where several 
of {hem played an important part in the War 
of the Revolution. From New England {he 
family has spread throughout the United 
States until there are now members in nearly 
e^ery town and cit? of {he Union. 






THE ROCKWELL ARMS 


ARMS 

Argent, upon a ckief sable, tkree boars’ beads, 
couped, or, langued gules. 

CREST 

Upon a wreadi of tke colors of die shield, 
or boar’s bead, as in die Arms. 

MOTTO 

Tout pour mon Dieu et mon roi 

TRANSLATION OF THE MOTTO: 

All for my God and my king 



* 


GENEALOGY 


C&3 

ist Rolf, tke first Duke of Normandy, known in Latin 
as Rollo and in Frenck as Rou, a Viking leader 
to wkom many earlj) exploits are attributed, was 
bom about 860. He established die kardy race 
of Norsmen in France when he founded die 
settlement at Rouen, w’hich afterward grew into 
die ducky of Normandy. After playing a very 
important part in die early development of 
Normandy, he died in 9312. 

2nd William Longsword, Duke of Normandy, son of 
Rolf, died in 943. 

3rd Rickard tke Fearless, Duke of Normandy, son of 
William Longsword, reigned over Normandy fift? 
years and died in 996. 

4(h Rickard tke Good, Duke of Normandy, son of 
Rickard die Fearless, enjoyed a reign of diir$ 
years from 997 to 1027. 

5di Duke Robert of Normandy, knovJn as Robert die 
Magnificent, son of Rickard tke Good, died in 
die year 1035 while returning from a pilgrimage 
to Jerusalem. 




















ANCESTRY OF THE ROCKWELL FAMILY 


6fh William {he Conqueror, or William tke Great, son 
of Duke Robert of Normandy, Was born in 1027. 
He -was originally tke Duke of Normandy and 
later King of England, enjoying {he title of 
William I. He was a -Warrior and conqueror, a 
statesman, and an administrator, and Was tke 
strongest monarck wko eOer sat on {he Englisk 
tkrone. He married Matilda of Flanders, and 
died in 1087. 

Freeman says of kim: “As far as mortal man 
can guide {he course of tkings when ke is gone, 
tke course of our national kistory since William’s 
day kas been tke result of William’s ckaracter 
and of William’s acts. . . . He may wordily 
take kis place as William tke Great, alongside 
of Alexander, Constantine and Ckarles.” 

7& Henry I, King of England, knoWn as tke Sckolar, 
tke fourtk and youngest son of William tke 
Conqueror and Matilda of Flanders, Was born in 
1068. He was an energetic ruler, fond of peace, 
but a good fighter Wken {he occasion demanded. 
He married Matilda, daughter of Malcolm and 
Margaret of Scotland, and great-granddaugkter 
of Edmund Ironside. We find it said of kim : 
“E-tfery part of tke Kingdom, and every branch 
of {he government, local as well as imperial, felt 
tke firm touch of Henry’s well-directed hand.” 

“God gi^e kim tke peace ke loved,” Wrote {he 
Archbishop of Rouen wken King Henry died in 
1135. 

8th Empress Maude, or Matilda of England, daughter 
of Henry I of England and Matilda, married 
Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou and Maine. 



ANCESTRY OF THE ROCKWELL FAMILY 


qth Henry II, King of England, first of the Plantage- 
nets, son of Matilda of England and Geoffrey? 
Plantagenet, was bom in 1133. He married 
Eleanor of Aquitaine. die second Henry has 
been called the greatest prince of his time, for 
wisdom, -Virtue, and abilities. His reign “initiated 
the rule of law.” 

“die fabric of our judicial system, including 
(he true origin of trial b^ juiy as now practiced, 
dates from the ‘Assize of Clarendon’ (1166).” 

He was a learned king, and a good judge of 
men’s ability, with the power of turning that 
ability to account in affairs of government. Henry 
died in 1189. 

io(h John (Lackland), King of England, son of Henry 
II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, was bom in 1167. 
It was he from whom the Barons of England 
obtained the Magna Charta, one of (he most 
important documents which make up the English 
Constitution. John married Isabella d’Angouleme. 
He died in 1216. 

nth Henry III, King of England, son of King John 
and Isabella d’Angouleme, was bom in 1207, and 
succeeded to the (hrone at the age of nine. He 
married Eleanor of Provence, daughter of die 
Count of Provence. 1272 was the $ear of his 
deadi. 

i2di Edward I, King of England, son of Henry III 
and Eleanor of Provence, was born in 1239. He 
summoned the barons to discuss any matters 
which affected them, and out of (his council grev? 







ANCESTRY OF THE ROCKWELL FAMILY 


the modern English Parliament. His Queen 
vJas Eleanor of Castile, daughter of King 
Alphonso X of Spain. 

“No man was more acute in council, more 
fervid jn eloquence, more self-possessed in 
danger, more cautious in prosperity, more firm in 
ad^ersitp,” than {his “greatest of all the 
Plantagenets,” who died in 1307. 


13th Princess Elizabeth Plantagenet, daughter of Edward 
I and Eleanor of Castile, married Humphrey? de 
Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford, 3rd Earl of Essex, 
and Lord High Constable of England. 


14& Lady Margaret de Bohun, daughter of Princess 
Elizabeth and Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of 
Hereford and Essex, married Hugh de Courtenay, 
Count of Auxerre. 


15th Edward de Courtenay, son of Lady Margaret de 
Bohun and Hugh de Courtenay, Count of 
Auxerre, married Emeline, daughter of Sir John 
Dawne^. 


16& Sir Hugh de Courtenay, son of Edward de 
Courtenay and Emeline Dawney, married Lady 
Maud de Beaumont, daughter and heiress of Sir 
John Beaumont,Marquis and Count d’Autichamp. 


17& Margaret de Courtenay, daughter of Sir Hugh de 
Courtenay and Lady Maud de Beaumont, mar¬ 
ried Sir ^Theobald Grenville. 
















ANCESTRY OF THE ROCKWELL FAMILY 


»8{h Sir William Grenville, son of Margaret de Cour¬ 
tenay and Sir Tkeobald Grenville, married 
Pkilippa, daughter of William Bonville. 

I9lk Gliomas Grenville, son of Sir William Grenville 
and Pkilippa Bonville, married Elizabeth, tke 
sister of Sir Gheobald Georges. 


2o{h Sir Gliomas Grenville, of Stow, son of Tkomas 
Grenville and Elizabeth Georges, married 
Elizabeth Gilbert. 

21st Roger Grenville, son of Sir Ghomas GrenVille 
and Elizabeth Gilbert, married Margaret, tke 
daughter of Rickard Wkitleigk. 

22nd Annye Grenville, tke daughter of Roger Grenville 
and Margaret Wkitleigk, married John Drake, 
Esq., High Sheriff of DeVon. 

23rd Robert Drake, son of Annye Grenville and John 
Drake, Esq., married Elizabeth, daughter of 
Humphrey Prideaux, Esq. 

24th William Drake, son of Robert Drake and Elizabeth 
Prideaux, married Philippa Dennys. Ghe Gren¬ 
villes and Drakes were related to {he famous and 
daring sea-captain, Sir Francis Drake, v?ho fought 
so man} gallant battles for Queen Elizabeth. In 
company with {he GrenVilles and Drakes the 
Rockwells Went on Voyages of exploration and 
conquest with Sir Francis Drake. 




ANCESTRY OF THE ROCKWELL FAMILY 


25&t Jokn Drake, son of William Drake and Philippa 
Dennys, married Elizabeth Rogers, who died in 
1681, aged ioo j)ears. He came to New England 
and settled at Windsor, Connecticut, in 1635. 


26{h John Drake, Jr., son of John Drake and Elizabeth 
Rogers, married Hannah More. 


27^1 Job Drake, son of John Drake, Jr. and Hannah 
More, married Elizebe{h Alford. 

28th Elizabeth Drake, daughter of Job Drake and 
Elizabeth Alford, was born November 4, 1665, 
and married Joseph Rockwell, a lineal descendant 
of {he de Roche^illes, Norman barons who went 
from France to England with {he Empress Maud 
(Matilda of England). dais Joseph Rockwell 
died June 26, 1733, aged 63 years. 

2g{h Joseph Rockwell, Jr., son of Elizabe{h Drake and 
Joseph Rockwell, v?as bom November 23, 1695, 
and married Hannah Huntington, v?ho died in 
1761, at the age of 67. He died October 16,1746. 

30th Joseph Rockwell, Jr., son of Joseph Rockwell, Jr. 
and Hannah Huntington, was born March 15, 
1715, and married Anna Dodd. He was called 
Captain Rockwell, having been chosen captain of 
{he first militia company? formed in Colebrook, 
Connecticut, in 1774. His death occurred in 
July, 1776. 







































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